If there's a turn of phrase we kind of detest here at The Deli is "taking the scene by storm." It's one of those generic prefab sentences that ring insincere. But then again, sometimes, some bands do that - kind of rare, but it happens, right? And sometimes, on a hot day like today, being lazy is kind of inevitable. So... yes! Brooklyn's Bodega are taking the NYC scene by storm with their blend of post-punk and pop and their super-fun live shows. That, and their somewhat familiar name, are the main reasons why they are on the cover of the new, spring 2018 issue of The Deli!

The issue, our 54th NYC one, is now up online and you can read it here.

It starts with a moment of sincerity, the music gentler and more intimate, if only slightly, than the wry post-punk typical of Bodega: “well no one is as salty as the seven seas except me.” But the moment is fleeting. To each of Ben Hozie’s proclamations of individuality in “Jack in Titanic,” he and the band adds “and Jack in Titanic.” With two previous singles from debut album Endless Scroll and a reputation for propulsive, artistically minded live shows, Bodega has already shown its strengths to be irony, critique, and repurposing. “Jack in Titanic” uses that to the effect of inverting traditional ideas of masculinity as shown by popular cultural: to be handsome, devoted, a good dancer, a good lover. Meanwhile, the video courses out erotic images of computer mouse and cable through a square frame, televisions and cell phones making due appearance—all a part of the digital, media-driven world Bodega is commenting on, the Endless Scroll. You can watch the video for “Jack in Titanic” below. Endless Scroll is out June 1 via What’s Your Rupture? - don't miss the release party at Sunnyvale on that same night. – Cameron Carr

NYC's romance with Post Punk is not over yet, and we ain't gonna complain about it. The seminal movement from the 80's that triggered the first wave of creative yet minimalist DIY rock already influenced a slew of break-out local artists including Interpol, The Rapture, Liars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Parquet Court among others. In the last few months, quintet Bodega (previously known as Bodega Bay) has made progress to potentially add their name to this list, gaining a lot of attention both in the city and at SXSW with their super-fun live performances enhanced by musical wild card Nikki Belfiglio's, an effervescent backing vocalist that also plays a range of percussive instruments. The trademark of the band's stripped down but driven sound, however, lies with Ben Hozie's semi spoken-word style of singing. The band just unveiled this video for single "Can't Knock the Hustle" and announced the released of their debut album Endless Scroll, scheduled for a Jun 1st release. Bodega also landed an opening gig for five Franz Ferdinand shows in April (including the Brooklyn Steel date on the 15th) and will tour Europe in May. Buzz alert, indeed!

To make it into the crowd for Bodega’s set when they play Jonathan Toubin’s Soul Clap at Elsewhere requires a fair bit of effort, strategic movement, and patience. But it’s worth it. On stage the New York quintet is a fluid sea of movement darting along to pointed rhythms and shouted post-modernism. That was two weeks ago, when searching for the band’s music revealed only outdated links to its predecessor Bodega Bay. On Wednesday, the band premiered its first single under the shortened name, a staccato post-punk piece called “How Did This Happen !?,” produced by Parquet Courts’ Austin Brown. The art punk influence is apparent, with vocalist/guitarist Ben Hozie half-speaking half-shouting monotone lines like “this machine you know it don’t kill fascists, this machine just softens its heart. This machine it killed the dream of the ‘60s, this machine you know it’s just a guitar.”

What’s Yr Rupture? is set to release the group’s debut album this summer. To accompany “How Did This Happen !?” Bodega has released a 360-degree interactive video, describing it as “a simulacrum of a typical night at our favorite Brooklyn venue, ALPHAVILLE. Some audience members scroll on their phones, others half listen (waiting to play), [sic] and those with light to spread join the show.” You can watch the video below and catch Bodega at Union Pool on March 10th, before they head to SXSW to play Pianos' SXSW party on 03.17. – Cameron Carr

The Deli Magazine was born in NYC's Attorney Street in 2004, in the shape of a print issue with a then unknown band on its cover, called Grizzly Bear. Ths NYC blog came in 2005, then the SF one in 2006, and then 9 more in the following years. The Deli is focused on the coverage of emerging bands and solo artists with a 100% local focus - no exceptions!